Ceramic Museum In Yingge

When we went through the National Palace Museum, home to all the treasures taken from the Imperial City in Beijing, China, one of our big take-aways is that we wanted to know more about the ceramic-making process. As it happens, Yingge, just outside of Taipei, used to be one of the ceramic capitals of the world before China took back the business it had exported here centuries ago.

So when the friend we met on the gondola suggested Yingge as a destination, I knew I was going to follow through and get us there!

This past Wednesday, it's just what we did!

This ceramic tile mosaic is at the Yingge Train Station.

We met Xiaoya and her twins, Zhongming and Shangming, at our MRT stop and we were off together. We actually went through another destination I wanted to hit with the kids as well - Taipei's Main Train Station. But we stayed beneath ground and didn't get any sense of the size of it, so we'll need to go back.

It took Arthur a while to feel brave enough to sit with the twins. But THEY had toys along for the ride, and he did not. So in the end, the toys won.

We transferred there to a real train as opposed to the trax-like MRT, and headed out of the Taipei basin.

Xiaoya explained the Ceramics Museum was a short walk from the train stop, but that the way was crowded with cars. Not having seen someone trying to maneuver a double-wide stroller anywhere, I may not have noted this any more than any other location in Taiwan. Being with Xiaoya makes me feel so blessed for the zoning and accessibility laws back home. But she is one tough cookie, and by her guidance (and extended hand to stop traffic from time to time) we were all guided safely to the museum.

So we arrived safe, but fairly wet too. Both she and I had checked the forecast and separately ruled out lugging umbrellas with our loads - her load of stuff, and my load of people. There was only a 10% chance of rain. But it was coming down in steady, small drops all the way from the station to the museum. At one point, paused at a light, I asked if there was any place we might stop to get food and let the rain pass. But Xiaoya said the most spacious place for her stroller and my kids WAS the museum, so we pressed on.

It was a blessing we did. The museum cafe was not too pricey - I got 4 sandwhiches for just over $10 and we beat the lunch rush. AND it was plenty roomy for the kids not only to sit, but to play chasing games as well. Beyond this, however, after we got to the museum, it started to dump rain outside. I was so relieved to not be caught in the downpour. So we ate, watched the rain, watched the kids run, and geared up to go see first what her kids liked most.

Trapped 6 kids in one ceramic blue castle sculpture! 

Luckily, the rain let up just as we headed out to their favorite spot which happened to be outside, in the ceramic park. It was empty of patrons, which suited us fine. We walked past splash pads closed for the "winter" and other ceramic sculptures to a working kiln with an enormous sand-box play area near-by. But as Xiaoya was explaining that her kids mostly liked to come and play in the sand, it started raining again. My own children were completely tempted by the design of the sand-box - inside it there were structures built to look like Chinese ruins, providing interest and shade for the diggers. But I told them we had not come prepared for getting wet OR dirty, and there were sandboxes at home. I said we would let our friends play and go check out the museum itself - learning while we were in Taiwan something more about THIS place.

Kai is his own work of art!

So we ran through the rain back inside, and while exploring how to get to the museum's information displays, were rejoined by Xiaoya and her boys. She WAS prepared for the dirt (she had even hauled sand toys with her), and didn't seem to mind the rain, but one of her boys wanted to stay with us, so we took in the rest of the place as together as 3 three-year-olds allow... when they all have different ideas about what the MOST fun thing to do is... which may be completely different from the opinions of the other 3 non-three-year-olds.

I think that has been something I've loved about being with Xiaoya - it doesn't seem like she has an expectation that her kids won't climb, or won't be loud, or won't run, or won't interrupt. She is fully present with them - not on a device. And because she is comfortable allowing her kids to be who they are (including playing in the sandbox in the rain, or covering themselves with the tourist stamp ink) I feel much more comfortable about my kids being themselves, and neither of us seem to need to talk without kid interruption, and so while we comfortably chat, we can also comfortably (and without apology) NOT talk to one another while we referee, manage, feed, answer, and teach.

Engaged by displays...

As for the museum itself, that my kids learned anything means it gets an A! Six kids, half of them 3 years old, to two adults means it can get crazy. But EV learned that even simple works can take a lot of skill, Kai was fascinated by the technology possible with advanced ceramics, and Eloise liked the videos about how the pieces were made.

As we worked our way through the museum, I couldn't help but notice that the rain was getting worse, not better. Xiaoya and I had discussed when we needed to leave to walk back and catch the next train - 2pm. At 1:30 I looked out at the sheets of water and told the kids to each say a prayer. "Pray," I told them, "that by the time we go, it won't be raining outside." I really, really didn't want to be wet for the hour we would be in air-conditioned public transportation.

In that last half-hour I kept glancing out the window, and kept praying too, because it didn't seem to be letting up at all! At 1:50, Xiaoya commented that it sounded like a typhoon outside. I prayed harder. By 1:55, things had calmed into a drizzle and we headed for the door. At 1:58, it seemed to be merely sprinkling. "We can do sprinkling," I thought.

My last glance outside before we were out ourselves revealed NO drops in the giant puddles that had formed from the storm.

And then....

We exited the building and the sun broke through the clouds!

Xiaoya, her boys, the double-wide ride, and the SUN!

We walked all the way to the train with the sun shining down on us, though we had to do some impressive puddle leaping.

It was yet another miracle and I was sure to point it out to the kids. I have such confidence in the prayers of children! I told Xiaoya, too, of our secret prayers. She looked surprised and said, "Wow! Prayers are really useful!"

We made it back safe and mostly dry - I think it was sprinkling a bit in Tamsui. What an adventure! My favorite part was definitely the timely sunshine!

Faces turned towards the camera means everyone is feeling more confident on the return trip... or they are distracted by food!